As the Tiger-Cats closed their 2012 training camp in a blaze of optimism and self-worth, the team and front office looked forward to three obvious “signature” games in their final season at Ivor Wynne.

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Opening night against the Saskatchewan Roughriders (who keep popping up in Hamilton Grey Cup history); Labour Day against the Argonauts (say no more); and the last regular-season game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (a timely reminder of the two franchises that had their longest glory days at the same time, beginning in the late 1950s).

Only one of those games remains and the Ticats have not responded with a win.

So it's not surprising that a game that should have been sold out months ago will probably take until kickoff time to get there.

And, similarly, it's not surprising that some very commendable seasons by a few individual Ticats are flying under not only the national radar, but the local one.

Last week's incident of the slippery kicking tee, for instance, robbed Luca Congi of that singular moment that would have underscored the terrific stability he's given the Ticats. His field goal percentage and his steady foot from over 40 yards, have been noticed, but not celebrated nearly enough. Hitting a walk-off game-winner, which hasn't happened this year for the Cats, always focuses the spotlight on the kicker and his previous accomplishments.

Not long before tee time, receiver/returner Onrea Jones made that great play on the onside kick that kept alive the hope of an improbable comeback against Calgary. Jones has been emerging as a quality kickoff returner in recent weeks and earlier had made great strides integrating into the receivers' rotation.

But the injuries elsewhere that obliged the Cats to go with three Canadian receivers cut down on his playing time, and therefore his progress. But you kind of like the look-ahead to Jones, Chris Williams and Bakari Grant playing together regularly.

And the contributions of Avon Cobourne and the emergence of tailback Chevon Walker, pressed-into-service lineman Cody Husband and folksy Australian punter Josh Bartel are largely overshadowed by the huge question marks that have hovered over this underachieving — or is it actually underachieving? — season.

Things would change, and recognition would be more widely distributed, should the Cats somehow survive the negative odds over the next 10 days and qualify for the playoffs. And, yes, it is somewhat absurd that the Cats are not only still in the running, but they can host a playoff game. If the law was as forgiving as the CFL, we wouldn't need jails.

There are still a lot of CFL players and coaches who consider Hamilton a dangerous prospective opponent, simply because of the potential for Henry Burris and George Cortez's offence to go medieval on them. But they are one loss from that no longer being a concern.

Until it became clear that Jamall Johnson would not dress against the Bombers, the Cats were looking at arguably their best defensive lineup of the season, with Bo Smith and Geoff Tisdale — who've played beside each other often — taking the strong side of the secondary, Dee Webb making big plays at safety recently, and a relatively settled rotation (minus injured Jeremaine McElveen) on the defensive line that has shown some ability to mount pressure.

The defence simply must rise to the occasion this time. When the offence figures early on they'll need 35 points, again, to win, it puts too much pressure on them.

In a year that was supposed to be the Year of Ivor Wynne, the Cats have been no more than average at home, losing in front of two their three largest crowds. This is their final chance at local redemption.

There are last chances and then there are real last chances. This is the latter.